Fruits Basket
Beginnings and Endings
((I havn't been able to reply to people's comments here, because my computer is so slow I can't go back and forth between the page and the story...so I'll reply to responses when I get a better connection.))
Chapter 14
"We're going to the snow! We're going to the snow!" Momiji chanted as he sat next to Tohru.
"Would you shut up, already?" Kyo snapped at the rabbit who was sitting behind him.
"Ah, Kyo. I'm just happy to spend the day with Tohru. I bet you're even happier then me," Momiji said as he nudged Kyo.
Kyo slammed his hands against the seat as he turned around and hit Momiji on top of the head.
"Whaa! Tohru, Kyo hit me!"
"You deserved it," Kyo grumped as he rested his head against the window.
"Now, now. It's alright, Momiji," Tohru said as she tried to calm him down, "I don't think it will turn into a bump."
"Yeah! Tohru is so nice. I just want to hug her!" Momiji wrapped his arms around Tohru and transformed into a rabbit in her lap.
Kyo sighed as he heard the loud boom behind him. Momiji was lucky that they were on a private bus for the Sohma's or he would gotten in huge trouble. There were two buses that they took and mostly everyone else was on the other bus. Only Momiji, Kyo, Tohru, Haru, and Ritsu were on this bus. Kyo was sitting by himself in front of Momiji and Tohru while Haru and Ritsu sat alone on the other side. Haru seemed somewhat daze, Kyo wasn't sure what Haru was doing, but he really didn't want to try and figure it out. Ritsu was sitting quietly at his seat as he looked out the window. Kyo rubbed his head lightly as he tried to block out Momiji's voice, "How'd I end up on this bus?"
"Didn't you want to be the one with Tohru on it?" Momiji asked in his rabbit form.
"No! I just ended up on this one. That's all," Kyo was happy he was in front of them since he was positive he was blushing to Momiji's silly comment.
"I'm happy I'm with Kyo though," Tohru said with a smile.
Kyo turned his head to stare at her. The way she said it made it seem like she was his girlfriend, though he didn't mind the thought, 'What am I thinking? I'm acting like Shigure...bad....'
"Hey, Kyo. Why are you all red and-"Momiji said as he hopped up on his hind legs.
"Shut up! My face is cold is all," Kyo yelled quickly trying to make an excuse up.
"Oh, if you're cold Kyo. I could find you another blanket or I could even find you a hat," Tohru said as she began to stand up.
"No, it's alright I was only-"
There was a sudden boom as Momiji changed back to his normal self. Tohru quickly covered her face as she looked off to the side. Momiji just sat there with a finger to his chin, "Oh, I changed back already."
"Don't just sit there naked! Put some cloths on!" Kyo yelled as he threw his jacket at Momiji to cover him up.
"Ha, right! I'll be back," Momiji trotted off to the back of the bus with his cloths, using Kyo's jacket to cover himself.
Kyo snorted lightly as he glanced to Tohru, "You can look now. He's gone."
"Right," Tohru said with a lightly giggle as she sat back down.
"Remind me to burn my jacket when he gives it back," Kyo said as he leaned back to close his eyes for a few minutes.
"Um, Kyo. Are you sure you should be racing Yuki? Aren't you still hurt?"
"Hmm?" Kyo said lightly as he opened one of his eyes to see Tohru staring down at him. Kyo knew she was worried, but he couldn't back down from another challenge from Yuki. He had to do this, "Yeah...I'll be fine. Don't worry about it. Just play with Momiji in the snow."
"If, Kyo says it's ok then I won't worry," Tohru said happily as she sat back down. It wasn't long before Momiji returned. Kyo didn't like lying to her, but he really didn't want her to worry for his sake.
After a few more minutes the buses arrived to the snow covered mountains. The group hurried outside to gaze at the view. Of course the Sohma's had the entire place to themselves so they were free to do what ever they wanted. Tohru was amazed at the sight as she threw her arms in the air, "It's so beautiful. I wish mom could see this."
"She can," Momiji said with a light grin, "She's always with you, right?"
"Yeah...that's right. Thank you, Momiji."
Momiji laughed lightly as he blushed lightly from the comment. Kyo was silent as he listened to them talk. He was glad that Momiji could offer a few words of comfort, unlike him.
"Kyo..."Haru said lightly from behind.
"What?" Kyo replied in annoyed tone for being interrupted in his thoughts.
"Yuki went to go get ready. I thought that maybe you should go too."
"Right. Make sure those two don't get lost," Kyo pointed to Tohru and Momiji as he left.
Haru nodded his head lightly as he watched Kyo walk off to one of the buildings to go get fitted for boots and skies.
"Haru! Come on and join us. We're going to go down on the sleds," Tohru shouted to him, noticing that he was just standing there by himself.
Haru glanced over lightly with a light smile before he walked over to the small group. While Yuki and Kyo went off to get ready for their little race, the rest of the Sohma's went to the sled hill. Tohru, Momiji and Haru went together down one of the smaller hills. Of course there was a risk of transforming with Tohru aboard, but Momiji volunteered to be near her since it was safer for him to turn into a rabbit rather then Haru turning into a cow on the sled. Hiro and Kisa happily went down the hill together. The two of them were having so much fun that Hiro didn't even snap his annoying comments towards everyone else. Kagura was trying to get Ritsu down one of the hills, but it wasn't working to well. She finally just pushed him down the hill while he was still on the sled since he was taking to long to go. The end result was Ritsu crashing at the bottom of the hill.
"Oh my, Ritsu are you ok?" Tohru called out as she ran over to him.
"My arm..." Ritsu mumbled out as he held it close to his body.
Tohru took off her jacket to cover him up until Hatori arrived, "It's not broken. I suspect it's just a sprain."
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt my arm," Ritsu cried out.
"You didn't intentionally plan it, so need to apologize," Hatori said as he stood up, "Tohru, you can go now. He'll be ok. Oh, don't forget your coat."
"That's ok. I don't want Ritsu to get cold," she said with a smile as she crossed her arms. She turned around to go back to Momiji and Haru when she felt someone place their jacket around her. She looked at the white coat as she glanced back to see Hatori walking back with Ritsu without his coat. Tohru smiled to herself as Momiji called to her.
"Come on Tohru! We have to get to the top of the hill to watch Yuki and Kyo."
"Alright, I'm coming!"
She trotted back through the snow as the little group headed to the top of the small hill to watch Yuki and Kyo who were going down the taller hill.
Meanwhile...
Kyo and Yuki had gotten all their gear together and now they were both on the chair lift heading up to the top of the hill.
"Kyo, do you even know how to ski?"
Kyo glanced over to Yuki slightly before he snorted, "I use to when I was little. I'm sure it's enough to beat you."
"Right," Yuki said with a lightly chuckle.
"What the hell is so funny?"
"You just sounded like yourself again. For awhile you've been so deep in your thoughts I thought that the old Kyo wasn't there."
"Maybe I don't want to be the old, Kyo."
Yuki cocked his head back lightly as he looked to the clear blue sky, "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that Miss Honda worries when things change between all us. I don't want her to worry."
Kyo knew Yuki was trying to ease the tension in the air between them, but the way he spoke about Tohru bothered him. He knew damn well that Yuki cared for her just as much as he did and that pissed him off, but it also scared him. "Well...what's new? She always worries."
"Yes...but who does she worry more about?" Yuki said with a light grin across his face.
Kyo narrowed his eyes lightly as he snapped his head towards him. Yuki was challenging him in a different way now. They were now competing over Tohru's affections even more then before. The two reached the top of the hill and skied down a few feet before they decided on a starting line. Kyo gazed down the mountain to see Tohru and everyone else cheering them on.
"The rules are simple, the first one to the bottom of the hill wins. Think you can handle that?" Yuki said in a mocking tone as he readied himself.
"Peh, save your breath you damn rat. Let's just go."
"Hey, there they go!" Momiji shouted as he pointed to them.
As the two boys raced down the snowy hill everyone was surprise at how well they were doing. Both were moving pretty fast down the hill and neither of the two looked off balanced. What was more surprising to everyone was that Kyo was actually winning over Yuki. He had pulled ahead when they past their half way mark.
"Wow, Kyo is doing pretty good," Kagura said as she watched intensively.
"He might even win. Who'd thought that?" Hiro commented as he rubbed his head.
"Go, Yuki! Go, Kyo!" Tohru yelled as she waved her arms.
Kyo was amazed at himself for pulling ahead at Yuki. This was his chance to prove himself, this was his time! He felt somewhat proud of what he was doing. He wasn't being trying to beat Yuki up to a pulp, but he was actually beating him at something that didn't involve hurting him. He felt the cold air blow through his orange hair as he gazed down the mountain to his goal. As he raced down the hill he noticed something going on near the buses. His crimson eyes stared for a brief moment at a certain figure that turned around to stare directly at him. 'Akito!'
'You're a fool, Kyo. Do you think we'd ever let you into this family? You'll never beat Yuki and you'll never be free from me.'
Akito's past words echoed in his head as he lost his concentration. He lost his balance on his skies and fell off to his side, hard. He tumbled across the snow a few feet before he finally stopped. His head weakly lifted from the snow to see that he was only a few feet from finishing. Yuki had managed to make it to the finish line, just missing Kyo when he fell.
"Oh no, Kyo," Tohru said as she ran towards him.
Kyo was already getting up to his feet. His skies had fallen off when he fell, but he didn't bother getting them. He threw his gloves off as he stomped towards the buses. He saw Tohru come running over and he quickly snapped at her, "Leave me alone! Go prance around Yuki. He won after all. Just...forget about me."
Tohru stopped in the snow as she watched him run off. She wasn't sure where he was going, but she knew he was hurt. No physically but emotionally. Yuki stepped lightly through the snow as he called out to Tohru, "Miss Honda? Are you ok?"
"Yeah...I'm ok. Congratulations, Yuki," she said with a weak smile as she trotted down to him.
Kyo had ran all the way to the buses to find Akito, but he wasn't there. He slammed his hands against the bus side as he looked down to the ground breathing heavily. His eyes stared down at tire tracks that had just recently been made, "He was here...that bastard."
Kyo took off running again down the road. The rest of the Sohma's spent a few more minutes at the mountains until they finally gathered back into the buses. The sun was beginning to set and it was time to go home.
"I wondered what happened to Kyo," Tohru said lightly as she curled up in her seat with Momiji.
Momiji tilted his head lightly to her, "Don't worry, Tohru. I'm sure he's back at the cabin. You know how Kyo gets."
"Yeah...I just hope he's ok. He seemed really upset."
Momiji nodded his head lightly as he leaned against her lightly, "Don't worry."
Kyo was back at the cabin; well he only just arrived to it. He had walked/ran the entire way there. Once he was there though, his anger was going through the roof. He slammed the door opened as he stepped inside, "Where is he!?"
Shigure was started by Kyo as he jumped slightly in his chair, "Kyo? I didn't expect you back."
"Shut up! I know he's here!"
"Kyo, it's a surprise that you didn't win. You were so far ahead of Yuki too," Akito said as he stepped out from the back room. Kyo's eyes snapped to the sinister man standing before him. His lips curled in a growl as he charged at him. Kyo grabbed Akito by his collar and threw him against the wall, "It's your fault!"
Shigure and Ayame had gotten up to help get Kyo off of Akito, but Akito waved them off as he smiled down to Kyo who had him pressed against the wall.
"My fault? How is it my fault?"
"You distracted me. You knew you could do that. That's why I lost!" Kyo's hands were shaking as he kept Akito in his place.
Akito laughed loudly as Kyo just narrowed his eyes even more, "Why the hell are you laughing!"
"You, Kyo. You blame me for your problems? It's your fault that you can't concentrate on what you're doing. You blame me for Tohru as well. You claim that I keep her away from you, but it is you who keeps her away from yourself. That damned girl is a curse to you and Yuki. Don't you agree that life would be easier if she just left without her memory? Then you wouldn't have to lose anymore?"
Such thoughts had past through Kyo's mind but he didn't truly believe in them, "No...I rather fight for what I love rather then just trying to forget about it. Even if it hurts me."
Akito narrowed his own eyes as he raised his knee into Kyo's stomach. Kyo released Akito instantly as he fell down onto his side, holding his stomach. Akito stared down at him as he pressed his shoe against Kyo's head, "You fool. That girl has poisoned Yuki and you. It won't be long until she's gone and you two come crawling back to me. Even the cat has his place, under my shoe licking the ground I walk."
"You sick bastard..." Kyo mumbled as he laid there against the ground.
"Now, go run along while you can. It won't be long until I have my pet cat locked in its cage where it belongs," Akito said as he lifted his foot from his head and walked off into the back room.
"Kyo, are you ok?" Shigure asked as he bent down to help him, but Kyo pushed his hand away as he got up himself.
"I'm fine, just leave me alone," Kyo said lightly as he headed for the door.
"Shigure?" Ayame said as he gazed to his friend.
"I feared this. Things are getting too complicated now. Aya, we have to tell Hari about this."
Kyo stepped outside and down the snow steps. He noticed the buses were back from the mountains and everyone was rushing to go inside. As Kyo walked past them all he noticed Yuki and Tohru talking towards the back of the buses, "What's going on there?"
As Kyo watched a little bit longer he noticed that they were moving off into the woods. Kyo knew he shouldn't follow them. It was there own business what they did, but something deep in his gut told him he had to follow them. He walked carefully through the snow as he kept them in his view. Night was falling around him, but Kyo could still see them rather well. The air was cold and it even began to snow lightly.
"Oh, it's snowing," Tohru said lightly as she held her hands out to the tiny snowflakes.
Kyo heard her voice clearly as he ducked behind one of the trees. He tilted his head towards the sky as he felt the cold bits of snow brushing across his face.
"Miss, Honda. Now that we're alone, I wanted to speak to you about something," Yuki said as he watched Tohru.
"Oh, sure. I'm listening," she said as she stood still.
"I wanted to apologize about the race today"
"Huh?" Tohru said confused as she gazed to Yuki.
"I wanted, Kyo to act like himself again. Maybe I'm just not use to him being so...normal. I guess the race was the straw that broke the camels back. I never intended to make him so upset."
Kyo sighed lightly as he listened to them, 'So that's what his deal was...'
Tohru smiled lightly to him, "That's so nice that you are considering him as a friend now."
Yuki brushed away the snow that had gathered on Tohru's head, "I am only considering him as a friend for your sake..."
There was a long silence in the air as Kyo listened with his back to the tree. He slowly turned his head to see what they were doing now, but something in him told him to stop. His eyes heisted to look, but he had to see what was going on. His gazed peeked around the tree corner and in the snowy distance were Yuki and Tohru kissing each other.
Kyo felt his version blurred as he turned his head away. 'I took to long to confess. Now I'm too late.'
It was just like the dream he had earlier except this one was much tamer. Dreams were never considered to be taken seriously, but sometimes they proved to be a glimpse into what was to come. Kyo felt the sadness in his heart, but the anger never boiled. Maybe he had matured to his petty grudge against Yuki or perhaps he was much more heartbroken then he anticipated. He stepped out from his hiding spot just as Tohru pushed Yuki away suddenly. The two stared at the orange hair figured that stood silently with his bangs covering his eyes.
"Kyo..." Tohru whispered lightly.
Yuki stepped forward, "Kyo, it's not what you're thinking..."
Kyo lifted his head just enough so his eyes were visible. Tears filled his eyes as a few steamed down his face, "I...I'm sorry!" Kyo suddenly turned around and ran off into the woods.
Tohru ran after him, but she stopped only a few feet away. She bent down to the snow to pick up, Kyo's beaded bracelet. Tears flowed from her own eyes as she sat on the snow crying as she held onto Kyo's bracelet in her hand.
"I'm such a fool. I knew I would never win against Yuki. He always gets what he wants, while I'm left with nothing. My heart hurts so much that...I just want to disappear, but despite that. I don't wish for Tohru to forget about me or Yuki, because I would always remember..."
Kyo walked through the cold night in his true cat form, wanting to get away from everyone and everything. He wasn't sure if he'd survive the night, but he didn't care.
((Wouldn't that suck if I ended it here? The whole story that is. Haha, I'm not that evil. While I was writing this, I was thinking to myself saying, 'wow that sounded like I just ended the story...I better write a little bit more so people don't plot to kill me since I'm sure I'm dead enough.' Anyways, hang tight for the next chapter.))
